September 2004
Freelancing Revives as the Economy Recovers
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
September 2004
Freelancing Revives as the Economy Recovers
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it was the best of all months OR it was the worst of all months. July either noted a bleak picture for the economy or it portended positive job recovery. It depends on your perspective! You can believe the employer survey that painted a bleak picture for hiring, in which only 32,000 new jobs were created. On the other hand, you can trust the household survey that asks people about whether they are working or not. According to this survey, more than 629,000 new jobs were created.
The fact that the results of these surveys differ so widely probably means that the reality lies somewhere in between. But there is a clear trend over the last twenty years that more and more people are not relying as heavily on an employer to make their livelihoods. They are turning to their own expertise and "hanging their shingles" with a variety of products and services.
According to an August 2nd article in the Christian Science Monitor, measuring growth in freelancing is difficult because it's not fully captured in government employment surveys. In 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that there were 5.4 million contingent workers, i.e. those who say their jobs are temporary. It also reported categories that can overlap with that group: 8.6 million (6.4 percent of the workforce) defined themselves as independent contractors, 633,000 were contract company workers, and 1.2 million were staffing agency workers.
The BLS has not updated that survey. But economist Paul Harrington of Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies estimates that between the end of 2001 and the end of 2003, self-employment increased by about 1 million, and independent contracting or under-the-table jobs increased by 1 million to 1.5 million.
I haven’t talked about freelancing in the last three years because there were so many other topics to address regarding job searching during this recession. I had also noticed that the interest in free agency had waned considerably as folks tended to look for some degree of job security with a regular employer rather than trusting to their own perseverance and luck during these troubled times. But it is clear that the 21st century economy is requiring that all working-age Americans become equipped with an arsenal of talents and skills that will allow them to survive and thrive as sole proprietors and entrepreneurs — or, as we say in workforce development, CEOs of Me, Inc.
How do you learn how to become successfully self-employed if you don’t have a business degree, a mentor in self-employment, or a family legacy of businessmen and women? There are literally hundreds of Web sites to help you but I’ve chosen some key ones to get you started.
Entrepreneurial Web sites:
The Small Business Administration has offices throughout the country to help anyone with an idea for a product or service to learn how to make their dream into a workable reality. Many of these SBA offices are located in universities and community colleges. They are supported by senior business people who volunteer their time to help entrepreneurial wannabees avoid common mistakes. Here are some Web sites to check out:
Small Business Administration You can locate their offices by state. Within each state is information about workshops each month, resources and links to sources for loans, business laws in each state, and ideas for making your own business card.
SCORE This is a nationwide organization of senior retired business people who donate their time and expertise to helping others develop their own businesses. I suggest that you check out the hundreds of fields in which there are experts. SCORE has a free email newsletter that is also valuable to check out.
Business Journals Business journals cover most of the major metropolitan areas around the country. You can subscribe to them by geographic area and/or by major industry. You’ll receive daily updates by area and weekly summaries by topic area. Following your area and topics is a valuable way to keep track of business activity and to help you spot trends and opportunities for your own business. Often bizjournals.com will spotlight entrepreneurs and their work to inspire you.
Kauffman.org Ewing Marion Kauffman was a very successful entrepreneur in the Kansas City area. He left as a legacy his foundation that is dedicated to encouraging and teaching entrepreneurship. Look under the "Adult Entrepreneurship" section for more information about their Fast Trac program that teaches entrepreneurship. This award-winning program is available in English and Spanish. In addition, Kauffman also produces entrworld.org, an encyclopedia of resources for entrepreneurs of any age or inclination. You can’t help but be knowledgeable and focused for becoming your own CEO after you look through all these resources.
Effective Free Agency Web sites:
Contractedwork.com This is a relatively new site that offers hundreds of opportunities for entrepreneurs to meet those who may need their professional services of all kinds. There is a one-week free trial period to try out this novel business arrangement.
Cjhunter.com, a site devoted to technical and engineering professionals, has been around for several years and still is going strong. Here you can post jobs online and search for candidates using the site's job board. An "Upcoming Events" section provides information about events around the country, while "Contractor Chat" offers the opportunity to explore discussion groups. There is an excellent introduction to the world of contract work and many resources and links for you to pursue.Guru.com is another Internet veteran of freelancing opportunities. Here you’ll find thousands of professionals and employers looking for one another. It is also a valuable resource in pricing your product and service because you can see what others are charging for similar services.
Talentmarket.monster.com This talent market links creative professionals in hundreds of fields and in most cities around the country with interesting and unusual project work.
Free Agent Nation This site is an outgrowth of Daniel Pink’s best selling book of the same name. It is quite the information hub of resources and articles for and about people working on their own. Take Daniel’s Free Agent Nation Aptitude Test and Instinct Collector test — better known as the FANATIC test — to see if you have the right temperament and passion.
WorkingToday.org This is a non-profit organization that promotes the interests of people who work independently through advocacy, education, and various benefits. It is centered in New York.
http://www.job-hunt.org/free.shtml The freelance hunter's superlist! An extensive collection of Web sites for contract workers and job hunters of all kinds. Complements their excellent semi-monthly email newsletter with excellent articles on the job hunting scene.
http://www.rileyguide.com/freeagent.html More resources for entrepreneurs and those wishing to freelance by Margaret Riley Dikel, a librarian who developed the Guide early on in the Internet’s history and continues to research and share the latest developments in job seeking.
The American Society of Association Executives is a professional association of professional associations (yes, you read that right) that lists hundreds of groups around the country in all fields and areas of interest. Once you find an association of your choice, look at their Web site to find opportunities for contract work or contacts to professionals who may know of upcoming opportunities.
Conclusion:
In this era of no job security, skilled workers and companies want the flexibility to work together on projects. Then, there’s the modern fact that workers want more flexibility to handle family needs and to upgrade their skills. Free agency provides a way to address both of these conditions. Are you ready to assume control of Me, Inc.? If so, free agency may amply meet your professional and personal needs.
Let me know how well these sites work for you. Have a wonderful Labor Day — here’s hoping it leads to an exciting fall!
Jane M. Lommel, Ph.D.
jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com
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